The Will of a Generation
by Fluffy orange ball of death
Summary: Chaos is power. Power enriched by the heart. The controller is the one that unifies the Chaos. Our life is bound by the Rings of fate. Our Time powered by the will to carry on.
1. Prologue

Sonic was bored to all hell. He had way too much energy; he couldn't stand still. Who was he, Knuckles? Sonic had begun pacing back and forth, having nothing to do, as he finally, finally had some alone time. And that had made him hate it. He needed stimulation. He hated having nothing to do. He had to do something.

He could go and mess with the old egg, but he hadn't heard diddly squat of him for a while. " _Especially since he fled from our last fight"_. He scowled in annoyance, his fuse growing smaller and smaller.

And then something odd happened. Everything suddenly froze around the blue hedgehog. The grass and the sky highlighted by a slight purple aura. He could only look on in confusion. His mind trying to wrap around the unusual sight.

The ground surrounding his feet then began to light up in a small glow, particles of purple swirling around him, the glow capturing his attention as he was suddenly pulled into the light from underneath. _He asked for an adventure and one was given to him. His trials of will had unknowingly begun._


	2. Chapter 1

Sonic's eyes fluttered open once the whole ordeal had ended. His surroundings were made of a frozen bleached out wasteland. _Almost like a void_ … He groaned slightly from the impact, teleporting without consent tended to have that effect. His vision was a blurred grey fog. Sonic attempted to just blink away the blur. However, that wasn't the to be, as the blur refused to go away. Sonic's confusion immediately switched to a panic; slowly examining the barren place with wide eyes.

He looked around him, a familiar feeling engulfing him.

As he stood, he looked around, trying to figure out where he was, when he noticed a black dot in the distance. He started to jog over to the dot, his curiosity getting the better of him.

 _Shadow groaned as he held his forehead, eyes clenched as he tried to focus back to reality. He didn't understand what had happened. Although couldn't understand it, he stood to his feet, examining the area until his attention switched over to the blue dot off to the distance. Coming closer._

Sonic could only grin when he noticed who it was.

"Hey, Shads!" He yelled out.

 _Oh Chaos, it's him._ Shadow just attempted to ignore the hedgehog, until realizing he had no choice but to interact. His arms folded across his fluffed chest, he turned his back to the dot. He didn't call out, as he wanted to see if he'd approach.

When Sonic noticed Shadow wasn't moving, he jogged over to him faster.

Shadow just stood there, waiting for him to finally arrive. And once he had, he just stared with the same ruby red eyes that constantly greeted with a sense of attitude.

"Took you long enough," Shadow remarked, a brow raised as his stubborn expression remained still.

"I was trying to find out what happened to me," He replied.

"I suppose we're in the same boat," Shadow sighed in disappointment. He was expecting to have found an answer from the blue hedgehog, but apparently, he was stuck in the same situation.

Shadow just turned on his heels, glancing right over to the first area. His red pupils looked back at him from the corner of his eye, gesturing with a quick tilt of his head. "We won't find anything until we start searching." Sonic followed silently, trying to see if he could find anything.

A small song played off in the distance of the pale void. It was incredibly familiar, leaving the black hedgehog to cringe. "This way," He flicked his hand in a gesture of 'follow me,' leading the way to a frozen Green Hill Zone.

Sonic could only grin in excitement. Recognizing the loops for what they were, he ran forward yelling out in glee.

"C'mon Shads!" Sonic yelled out.

Shadow could only follow in silent exasperation. He would absolutely apologize, but he hated the tunes Green Hill Zone totem poles emitted. Especially because whenever he had fought Sonic there back at home, the hedgehog would annoy him by singing it as loud as possible.

"Hedgehog," he growled out. "If you start singing, I will hurt you."

"Aww, don't be like that. I'm pretty sure you love my singing, Faker," Sonic laughed as he raced into the hills.

This caused Shadow to wince as he followed after him. "If you ever say that again, then I'll make you _suffer_!" Shadow exclaimed.

Sonic could only laugh as he ran faster, knowing the zone by heart.

Shadow however just watched and followed the blue nuisance, as he couldn't remember much of the zone. His shoes let out sparks from the back, his rockets set while he skated forward. He soon caught up to the blue annoyance, trying not to hit any of the frozen animals lurking about.

On and on they went through the zone until reaching the end. Sonic skid on his heels to a stop, smiling back at Shadow as the black and red hedgehog stopped beside him in confusion.

"Why did we stop?" He asked.

"Check this out, this is my favorite part of the zone," Sonic said as he poked the ending sign with his finger. It spun, the sign changing to his face.

Shadow could only stare at him blankly. ' _He's an idiot_.' Was the only thing going through his mind.

Sonic ran past it, leaving the black hedgehog to follow after him as he raced to another point of the zone. Something had caught his attention, running towards it until he was jumped by a large machine.

"Ohohoho!" A familiar voice laughed out. Its baratonic sound bringing a small scowl from Sonic. Eggman was in his large hover chair, grinning at Sonic. His grin was making Sonic a tad bit wary. When Eggman finally began talking, Sonic's nerves were on end.

"What a fine day to have the displeasure of meeting you. Hedgehog."

"I could say the same thing Egghead," Sonic said.

Shadow came a second later, his skates skidding to a stop beside Sonic as he finally caught up.

"Oh! Well if it isn't Shadow the Hedgehog." Eggman chortled out. His glee pouring off of him in waves.

"Robotnik," Shadow greeted with a nod."What are you doing here?" He calmly asked out.

" I don't know myself. You see Hedgehog, I was at my home making a new machine to defeat that joker overthere," he said, gesturing towards Sonic, "When a bright light enveloped me. Bringing me to this boorish barren place." He simply waved his hand around to emphasize his point.

"Naturally, I was curious about the white expanse around us. So I ran a few tests on the scanner I have."

"Do you always carry a scanner in your chair?" Sonic asked.

"Yes," was the answer he got.

Shadow only respectively nodded to Eggman's answers. He was family, whether he liked it or not. So he at least had to give him a chance.

"Then what do we do, Robotnik?"

Sonic could only squawk in confusion. Was Shadow crazy?

"Are we really gonna listen to chrome dome here?" He asked

Shadow turned his attention back to Sonic. "We have no lead ourselves Hedgehog. Besides, I can't leave him here alone."

Sonic could only sigh in defeat, not having anything to refute. Apparently yes, he was crazy.

Eggman couldn't help but smirk. Shadow made it almost too easy for him already. Shadow just kept his attention on Sonic for just a while longer until he turned back to Eggman. He nodded up to him, as though to signal he'd was ready for more answers.

"Alright. So from my understanding, there should be something hidden around this zone. Something with a lot of energy. Since you two are good at searching, especially with your high speeds, you should be able to find it fairly quickly. But hurry, the energy readings I'm getting are erratic, there is a chance it could disappear." Eggman spat out. Shadow nodded as he didn't catch the bluff or the entire trick.

Sonic could only groan, not wanting to help the large man. All Eggman ever was, was bad news. And the fact that Shadow's was easily persuaded to help him irritated him even more.

"And Shadow? Would you be so kind as to find an emerald for me? As a favor?" Eggman asked. Hoping it would work.

"Apologies, but I'm going to have to pass," Shadow rejected his request. He quickly dragged Sonic behind him as he walked away, off to find out what the "Something" could be. Sonic could only complain, not liking being hog-handled.


	3. Chapter 2

A moment later Shadow was scowling, Sonic wouldn't stop singing. He knew Sonic could sing, G.U.N had recordings of him singing after jumping off a helicopter. Why Sonic chose to sing like a dying goose on acid pissed him off to no end.

"Just because we're still here doesn't mean you can sing like something's trying to kill you with helium," Shadow complained in his fit as he continued to drag him along.

"Well, you won't let me run, so why not?" Sonic teased with a smirk on his face. He was obviously having fun annoying the black hedgehog.

"I don't need you getting in the way, so it's my decision," Shadow barked at Sonic. Sonic just stared dumbfounded. He got back to his feet, tugging himself out of Shadow's hold.

"But seriously… Why Eggman?" Sonic sighed as the two walked through the zone.

"Does it look like we have a choice, Hedgehog?" was Shadows only reply. "If you _bothered_ to look around, you would notice that I'm stuck in a void with _you_ "

"Yeah but- Wait! Why does it sound like it's my fault!" Sonic yelled out.

"Well, normally these things are always looping back to _you_ , Hedgehog!" Shadow yelled back.

Well, that oddly hurt Sonics' feelings. He couldn't figure out what it was that bothered him, but it made his chest hurt.

"Well, _I'm sorry_ that people have been trying to kill me since I was like, _ten_."

"It's nothing new, especially with _you_ ," Shadow said, and he wasn't wrong. Sonic attracting the biggest baddie was a curse as much as it was a gift.

"Well, that's not _my_ fault!" Sonic's ears folded back as he yelled louder than before. He was letting his temper get ahead of him. With a quick 'hmph' he quickly boosted away.

"Dammit Sonic!" Shadow yelled out. He sighed, shaking his head as he let his arms drop to his sides. He was about to go after him when he saw the smallest of glimmers to his side. He turned around, examining what it could be. ' _Sonic can wait'_ He tugged rubble off the gleam, his eyes meeting with something he hadn't expected to see. Underneath the rubble, he saw a handle.

" _Is that a sword?"_ The heck is a sword doing in Green Hills?

"Yes, and may you be so kind as to get me out of here? The dust is bothering my eyes."

" _Did I say that out loud?"_ Why was he repeating his thoughts out loud?

"Yes, now can you pull me out now?" Was the reply. Shadow walked towards the sword and pulled at the handle, trying to get it out. A moment later, the sword was out, gleaming like it was freshly sharpened. Shadow tumbled back, tugging too hard to get it out. He stared at it in silence, rather dumbfounded.

"Sir Lancelot, is that you?" The Sword asked. "Thank Nimue, I need you to help me find his Majesty Sonic."

"Lancelot?" Shadow was pretty confused. Never in his life had he been called ' _Lancelot'_. And ' _his majesty?'_

"I'm sorry, are you or are you not Sir Lancelot?"

"No, I'm Shadow, Shadow the Hedgehog," Shadow replied. Who the hell was 'Lancelot'

" _Sweet Nimue, he must have hit his head when he came with me."_ The sword muttered out. That was rude. Shadow already disliked the sword. He's already suffered amnesia before, it was a _reaally_ sore subject for him.

"Are you feeling odd anywhere Sir Lancelot? Do you have any head pains, aching bones?"

"What? No!" Stupid sword.

"Have you lost your hearing too? Your intelligence? Perhaps your sanity?"

"I lost my will to live," He barked out. "Does that count?"

"Fair enough. Now can you _please_ take me to Lord Sonic?"

Shadow frowned at that, remembering an upset Sonic. He sighed in annoyance, shaking his head as he threw the sword over his shoulder. 'Might as well look for him.'

He continued on his way, looking right and left for the blue hedgehog. Sonic was nowhere to be seen until he finally decided to check overhead to find that Sonic had been sitting right up on top of a loop, kicking his feet as his elbows rested on his knees.

Shadow sighed with irritation as he kicked his heels together, rocketing up. He landed beside him, not a word as Sonic just silently glared up at him.

"What do _you_ want, Faker?" Sonic snarked, turning his attention back to the view.

"To bring you this thing." Shadow tossed Caliburn over to Sonic. He didn't exactly expect a sword to suddenly be tossed over, quickly turning around to have it whack him handle-to-forehead.

Sonic grunted, wincing while he held a hand over the spot it hurt. He glanced down at the sword, furrowing a brow. "Caliburn?"

"Lord Sonic! You have my sincere apologies, but you mustn't leave your sword in an unfamiliar place all by itself."

"Uhh… You do know I had no clue you were here, right?"

"Well, erm…" Caliburn was immediately tongue-tied as he was caught through his words. He cleared his throat, trying to find a snide remark and failing.

"Either way, how did you get here? Don't you belong in the castle?"

"That's what I would like to know, King Arthur."

"It's Sonic… _and call me that again and I'll leave you to rust."_ He quickly whispered out.

"How uncouth of you!" The sword spat out, causing Sonic to laugh. He had never realized how much he missed bickering with the sword _that probably held little respect towards him_.

"I missed ya little buddy," Sonic said in happiness. His hand feeling the edge of the blade.

"And I you Lord Sonic."

Shadow watched in silence, somewhat happy Sonic had forgiven him. Or at least internally. He watched as Sonic rose to his feet, an almost regal aura surrounding him. Sonic then turned to Shadow with a smile.

"Thanks, Shads" Sonic chimed, giving the black hedgehog a thumbs up.

Shadow's eyes nearly widened from the gesture, turning his head as he let out a quiet scoff, glad that Sonic was happy. He quickly tilted his head, walking to where they last saw Eggman. Sonic followed with a grin, twirling Caliburn in his hand. He was a bit out of practice with it but was quickly getting back into it.

"So Caliburn, how'd ya end up here?" Sonic asked while he swung. "Gotta be an awesome story behind it."

"That is something I would like to know myself in all honesty." Caliburn replied.

All Sonic could do was huff and continue walking. He was, unsurprisingly, bored again. Trying to alleviate his boredom, Sonic began to sing. It wasn't anything amazing, but shadow began to listen in. A second later he stopped as they saw Eggman in his hover chair. Grinning at them, he ushered them forward.

"Did you find it?" Was his Immediate question.

"We found this hunk of junk," Shadow answered, Caliburn glared at the black hedgehog.

"I'll have you know I am quite the handy blade." Caliburn defended, the whole bunch rolling their eyes to his remark before going back to their conversation. If Eggman was surprised by the talking blade, he hid it well.

"Well, good job. I believe it to be a treasure from another world, since a new area just appeared over there," Eggman pointed at a familiar place. It looked almost like an entrance to Misty Lake.

"Why are you being so helpful?" Sonic quietly asked, giving a squint of suspicion at the old man. He still remembered the time monster. The memory finally resurfacing, his suspicious stare turned to something even more.

"You're not using us for a second Time Eater, are you, Egghead?!" Sonic shouted, interrupted as Shadow placed a hand right on his shoulder.

"We don't need this right now Sonic," Shadow requested.

"But how can we trust him?" Sonic asked.

"Just do as I say hedgehog."

"But-"

"Just do as I say!" Sonic flinched back at that rebuttal. A second later a retort was half thought up when suddenly.

"Silence!" Eggman shouted, slamming his fists on his machine. "We're not going to get anywhere if _YOU_ keep bickering," Eggman then pointed out at the blue hedgehog, Sonic's ears pointing forward as his fists balled at his sides; His fists trembling as he yelled like an angry child.

He then sighed and started walking towards the lake, seeing color bleed back around him. Entering the glimmering entrance seemed to have brought the world back to life. Sonic took a deep breath, let it all out and slumped his shoulders. He then straightened his back, shook his head, and walked forward. The lake was a small walk away, and Sonic wanted to enjoy the memories of the lake.

As he neared the lake, he saw the small island Nimue lived in and smiled at the memories. He walked towards the small boat on the coastline, Shadow following behind until he caught something odd happening with the water. Sonic was abruptly tugged back, the blue hedgehog letting out a gasp as he was startled from the sudden pull.

"Shadow! What in Chaos are you-"

" _Shh! There's something going on with the water,"_ Shadow whispered in the blue hedgehog's ear as Sonic's back was up against his chest, Shadow's hands on Sonic's shoulders.

A figure began to appear, slowly walking from the lake. A smile began to grow on his lips, tugging his shoulders out of the grip of the black hedgehog's. "Nimue! Hey!" Sonic called out, the pink hedgehog glancing up from tending to the life beneath the water. She then began to smile.

"Your Majesty! I thought you'd never return," Nimue politely spoke as she approached the two, Shadow hiding behind Sonic as he glared at her with suspicion. Who was this Amy lookalike and why was she so Buddy-buddy?

Sonic had gotten into a kneel, bowing his head towards her. Sonic then quickly whacked Shadow behind the knees, causing his knees to buckle beneath him.

" _Bow Faker,_ " Sonic whispered. He wasn't typically one for manners, but Caliburn had instilled into him that he bow when he first met her, and he wasn't going to disrespect the Lady of the Lake with terrible manners, no matter how casual. He was a king after all.

Nimue was a tad bit surprised when he bowed and lifted her hand, muttering a surprised "Rise."

"Lancelot? Where is your armor?" Nimue had finally noticed the black hedgehog as she had stood back at the edge of the lake. She tilted her head, just back to smiling as she just shook it off. "You must've forgotten it at the smithy again, huh? Well, it's a pleasant surprise to see you two back at the lake."

"Gee, it's great to be back. How ya been, M'Lady?" Sonic happily looped an arm into hers, causing her to blush and cover her mouth to prevent any form of laughter from escaping.

Shadow only sat there on the one knee he was forced upon by the very blue hedgehog that had left his side. He squinted at the pair, then rose and decided to go on ahead; leaving the two to interact as his fists clenched with frustration.

He had no clue on why he exactly felt that way. He was never bothered with Sonic talking to others before, however just watching him flirt with Nimue just upset him; where it only made his heart hurt in the place it hurt the most.

It only took a while until Sonic and Nimue had realized Shadow had left. The blue hedgehog frantically looked around, reminding himself of the troubles of dragons and bandits along the land of Camelot. He began to panic as he saw the dust trails left from Shadows Hover Skates.

"I'm sorry Lady Nimue. My friend…" Sonic paused. "... has uhh wandered off and he doesn't know Camelot as well as I do." Nimue could only sigh, She missed Sonic, but she knew the type of person he was. She reluctantly let go of his arm and let him run towards the trail Shadow had left.

Shadow was angry and he didn't know why the pain in his chest wouldn't leave, especially when he thought of Sonic's chat with Nimue. " _Why? Why does my chest hurt so much when I think of them?"_ He sped up, the wind howling in his ears.

He blinked and didn't notice the person in front of him appear, sending them both tumbling towards the ground. When he looked up, he saw his reflection, confusing him to no end. He then stood up, offering his hand to the other person, noticing the armor on the downed hedgehog as a single thought flew through his head.

" _This must be that Lancelot everyone keeps mentioning."_

" _Why do people keep bumping into me today,"_ Lancelot grumbled under his breath. He then grabbed Shadows hand, pulling himself up. When Lancelot looked up, he was met with his reflection without armor. He quickly tensed up, his blade ready to be unsheathed.

"Who are you, why do you look like me?" Was the immediate question Lancelot had. His ruby sword glinting in the light. He was poised to attack, his power ready to be used at a whim.

"Put your sword down, I'm not looking for a fight," Shadow said. Even with his words, he was ready to go, his muscles tensed for a fight. A leaf began to fall. Their eyes slowly following the leafs movements.

When the leaf touched the ground, a sonic boom tore through the dirt path. Shadow was surprised at the speed they were going, his expectations on Lancelot much lower due to the era. A smirk began to grow on their faces, unseen because of the speed.

They were fighting at a level Lancelot didn't think he would ever need to fight at, for who else but the king could go at a speed this fast?

Another sonic boom shredded the air, the hedgehogs' form showing for a second, a sword clashing with a limiter ring.

"You fight well for a copy," Lancelot said.

A slash and swipe happened seemingly at once, giving Shadow small cuts.

"Hmph, I could say the same to you," He quickly shoved the palm of his hand into Lancelot's chest, eliciting a small gasp from the knight. "But still, I am _far_ better than you." He flew back from the impact, landing on his feet. Lancelot landing on his back. He then quickly flipped up, landing on his heels.

Lancelot smirked, his sword pointed at his double. He quickly brought it back behind him ready to attack. He quickly began to draw energy, his sword humming with power.

Shadows eyes widened when he felt the energy building up. " _He knows chaos control?"_ He quickly gathered his own energy, preparing for one more attack.

They both readied their attack. Energy quickly swirling around their bodies.

" _Chaos-"_

They both suddenly disappeared from sight, wind swirling with power.

" _-Punishment!"_

" _-Control!"_

They both suddenly reappeared, time moving at a halt, sword, and fist ready to kill. Shadow attack was microseconds ahead of Lancelot's, slowly closing innovation his face when they felt it.

" _Stop."_ it was a simple command, but the fight suddenly came to a halt, time speeding back up. Sonics armored hands gripped firmly around the two black hedgehogs arms. Lancelot quickly got on a knee, his head bowed towards his king. Shadow simply huffed in annoyance, not that he showed it.

He suddenly noticed that Sonic was covered head to toe in shining golden armor, a crimson cape flowing behind him. Excalibur was glowing in his sheath, giving Sonic a more golden, royal glow. He was surprised by the armor, but it looked good on Sonic so he kept silent.

Sonic exchanged looks between the two black hedgehogs. Now that he thought about it, the two had met. Meaning that the Sonic crew lookalikes were just that. Lookalikes. Sonic raised a brow, a small smile as he chuckled. "So I've got two idiots duking it out now huh?"

He then looked over to Lancelot, a genuine smile growing on his lips.

"You may rise, Sir Lancelot." He wasn't sure where all these hoity-toity Knight manners were coming from, but he was happy that he at the very least knew the basics. Lancelot quickly stood up, his body giving away the question on his lips. Sonic had beat him to the punch.

"Lancelot, this is Shadow. Shadow the Hedgehog." He then turned towards Shadow, his brow raised. "Any reason as to why you two idiots were fighting?" Sonic asked.

Shadow and Lancelot had then squinted at the blue hedgehog in golden armor, as though they had taken the name to heart. "Well, _your Highness_. There must have been a mistake, you see," He excused, looking off to the side as his cheeks slightly reddened in embarrassment. "I thought he was a witch or an illusion that runaway wizard had conjured up."

"Runaway wizard?" Sonic stopped, tilting his head to the attention of the armored black hedgehog. "Do you mean Merlina? Why are you guys still chasing her? I thought things were alright back here in Camelot."

"You see my lord, she's gone back to attacking people and we have no idea as to why. She and Percival and had been in the library at the time, and we cannot get answers from Percival due to her extensive injuries preventing her from speaking to us."

"Is that so?" Sonic asked with a rather concerned stare before he let out a sigh. He spun his sword, resting the blade on the sheath of his golden armor, as he began to walk. "Alright, alright. I'll go look for her, then. Just get Shadow to Lady Nimue"

"Excuse me?" Shadow barked, not entirely happy with the fact he thought he was practically being called weak. "I am not hiding away just so _you_ can go find a fight! If we're stuck here, we stick together, Hedgehog!"

"As by your command, your majesty." Was Lancelot's immediate reply. He tugged Shadow by the arm, taking him back to Nimue's lake. Sonic couldn't help but snort, shielding his grin as he watched Shadow just get angry in the other black hedgehog's grasp as they left.

"Don't worry about me Shadow! I'll come back when it's done!" Sonic called out, turning back to his destination. He then blasted down the path to find where the wizard could've been.

Of course, that was pretty obvious as his castle off in the distance suddenly blew up in a purple hue; the purple hue slowly rising like a purple tinted tornado. He sighed as he shrugged, flying off towards the castle.


	4. Chapter 3

Once he was nearly there he had found a wounded echidna in armor, with his leg trapped underneath a stone block created from the bricks of the castle. He ran right over, flipping up the helm as he stared at Gawain in shock. "Are you ok?" Was his first question, the echidna not even replying as he was struggling to reach for his sword.

"...Not this again," Sonic groaned, kicking the sword away. "You don't need to kill yourself for 'honor'. You didn't do anything wrong; stop acting stupid," Sonic crouched down, elbows resting on his knees as he just went nose-to-nose to the echidna. Gawain only faced him, then let out a sigh of defeat. "You're right, your Highness," He answered, surprising Sonic, then turned back to the block to punch it off of him.

Sonic nearly yelped as it was launched at an incredible speed, the impact from the punch making a loud boom. He then reached out towards the knight, Gawain taking his hand and bringing himself up to his feet, his injury evident. He looked at the castle, his confusion evident by the echidnas' answer.

"We don't understand what's happening, one minute she's in the castle library, studying some mysterious plant when she randomly went on a rampage."

Sonic quickly looked at the purple haze surround his castle, his expression guarded.

He quickly flew towards the center of the haze. He tried looking through the fog. When that was unsuccessful he quickly flicked his wrist, a sharp wind following through. He saw Merlina in the air, gripping her head in pain. He saw her mouth moving in a silent scream, but no sounds were heard. He flew closer to her when he heard it.

"-op it stop it, get away, stop it. It hurts. Stop i-" Sonic quickly flew behind her, his hand chopping at her neck, swiftly knocking her out and catching her in his arms. Sonic frowned as he slowly flew back down to the ground, landing on the clean green grass beneath them. Gawain slowly walked up to them, Sonic turning his head to stare as Gawain fell down to a knee, bowing his head as he gave the red knight a smile.

"You may Rise Sir Gawain," was his command. The echidna slowly rising to his feet a moment later.

"Apologies, your Highness. I forgot it made you uncomfortable." The knight then grunted in pain, his knees buckling in pain. Sonic quickly went to his side, holding Merlina and Gawain in his arms.

He slowly flew to the other side of the castle, towards where he vaguely remembered the barracks to be. He swiftly landed at the barrack doors, his armor slowly disappearing, his gauntlet staying. He called out, hoping someone would come. A moment later a coyote came out, his blond hair capturing Sonic's attention.

"'Twan, is that you?"

"Je ne comprehend," The coyote replied, furrowing a brow as he rose the guard that covered his eyes. "Your Highness qui est Twan?" He questioned, tilting his head as he didn't expect Sonic to exactly be around. "Pourquoi Es-Tu revenue ici?" He continued to question, Sonic entirely confused as he just stared; dumbfounded and not understanding.

A white hedgehog then walked out, just awkwardly exchanging glances between the two. The coyote turned to him, muttering something beneath his breath. He nodded, turning back to Sonic with a smile. "He said that he doesn't understand who 'Twan is and why you're back."

"..I don't know." The white hedgehog furrowed a brow as he examined him from head to toe. He lifted the two from Sonic's arms with his psychokinesis, taking his attention to the two as he left Sonic with the coyote.

The two exchanged a long segment of silence, staring at each other as they both experienced awkwardness. Sonic then cleared his throat. The coyote immediately turned his whole figure to the hedgehog, approaching him to kneel down on his knee and… oddly enough, plant a kiss on the top of his hand.

Sonic was just weirded out and confused, eyes wide as one eyebrow kept lowered. "What… What's that for?!" Sonic squawked, tugging his hand out of the coyote's to shake it. Sonic felt a small blush grow on his face so he quickly looked away. The coyote just smirked, getting back up to his feet as he kept his hand on the handle of his sword as he was aware at all times.

"I am Antor. C'est un Plaisir de Vous rencontrer," He greeted him, giving a bow before Sonic immediately waved his hands. "Alright, dude, alright! I don't understand what you're saying, but please at least speak some English!"

"A-as you wish, your highness," Antor struggled. He wasn't very fluent in English, as the white hedgehog that had left was always his translator. Sonic felt a tad bit guilty at that. He understood the difficulty of a language barrier, him not being able to speak English until he was 13.

"Or at the very least teach me a bit of French." Sonic quickly added, Antor staring at him in silence before gesturing back to the direction the white hedgehog went. "He knows how." He shortly replied.

"Then I suppose I'll be seeing him pretty soon, huh?"

"There is also the princess's handmaid or my wife," He continued to struggle to translate himself. Sonic nodded, a smile as he patted the knight's shoulder. "I promise I'll learn how to talk to you buddy."

"Que?" Antor asked, not understanding what had been said. Sonic just chuckled, waving to him before dashing off towards where the white hedgehog had gone.

Sonic quickly searched for the white hedgehog, his pride and a small amount of guilt told him he needed to learn how to speak French, he liked making friends and if a language barrier got in the way he'd just break it down.

At least, after he checked up on Shadow. Chaos knows how much of a handful he could be at times. He turned himself with a hand in the grass, skidding to a drift before running straight for the lake.


	5. Chapter 4

When he got there he was treated to the greatest sight in his life. Shadow's and Lancelot's heads were laid out on Nimue's lap. She was scratching the both of them behind the ears, turning the hardened warriors into limp noodles.

How did she manage to do this? Well...

Shadow was in an angry daze. When he got there, he sat down on a couch, his annoyance through the roof. Lancelot had taken off his helm. bowed to Nimue, and sat down next to Shadow. A small moment later she sat between the two, a small smile gracing her lips. She rubbed at the base of Lancelot's ears, a habit she had picked up years ago. Lancet was embarrassed when she did it to him but was fine with it in private as it reminded him of his childhood. Shadow, who didn't notice what was happening, had leaned back into the seat. When he relaxed, a small question flew through Nimues head. "Would this Shadow react the same?"

The second she had rubbed his ears, he practically melted in her arms, his anger all but gone. She tried to hold it in but couldn't help it, she cooed at them, it reminded her of when Lancelot was younger... When he was a bright-eyed innocent child.

* * *

When Sonic had arrived sometime later, she quietly shushed him, pointing her head towards the two dazed hedgehogs. The sight had warmed his heart. He knew how much trouble Shadow had with trusting people, and the fact that he was this relaxed with Nimue touching him showed the amount of trust he was putting out.

Sonic had quickly examined where she was scratching to try out later, as it could be used as blackmail later. He covered his mouth as he chuckled; kneeling down to look at the three. "I don't think I've ever seen Shadow like this," Sonic whispered to Nimue. He looked on in wonder.

"He's just so, _relaxed._ " He silently whispered out. And he was, his shoulders were relaxed, his eyes were slightly glazed and he was purring. Purring. He could barely get him to smirk. Let alone purr. He found it kinda cute. A blush had then dusted his cheeks a second later as he thought to himself, "Cute? Am I getting sick or something?"

Nimue's eyes had widened by a fraction, seeing the signs as clear as day. Her smile had widened, and she rubbed the two black hedgehogs' ears more, making the two cuddle closer to her. Her heart was melting at this point, the sight of them so relaxed bringing her joy. She then looked towards Lancelot, her son in all but name.

How long had it been since she first met him? Ten years? Twenty?

" _Lady Nimue, look at this flower that I found!" A boy's voice called out. "I got it just for you!"_

Who really knew? She was happy with him, that's what mattered to her.

" _My lady, I wanted to know if I could get a sword." A young, timid voice called out."I wish to join the king's army."_

She was wary of his future, but she supported him fully.

" _This sword, is for me? Thank you, my lady!"_

His growth was astronomical. A full-blown prodigy.

" _Why?" He asked. "Why did they have to die?" He let out a small choked out sob."Why did I get to go home? Why did-" a hand quickly pulled him into a tight hug. Small strokes slowly silenced his questions, his sobs growing in volume._

She hated seeing him cry, it always shattered her heart.

" _My lady." A monotonous voice called out. "The king has asked me to join the roundtable."_

 _He had a small smirk stuck on his face. "I am to be one of his knights."_

Her pink locks were obscuring the tears forming in her eyes. The memories making her heart swell with pride. When had the boy she had raised, turn into this honorable young man? She felt her pride grow more in her chest and she sang the two a silent lullaby.

It wasn't anything more than a small hum, but a second later the two were fast asleep.

Sonic quickly looked for a cushion and found some on Nimue's nearby gazebos seats. When he returned, he quickly gave her the cushion. Nimue tried rubbing away the tears in her eyes and gave the two black hogs the pillow.

She then silently stood up, brushing herself off. Her pink locks swaying in the wind, her eyes lost to time. Her head turned to look at Sonic, her mind blurred. She shook her head, trying to put the memory to the back of her mind. She led Sonic towards her gazebo, her mind in a misty fog of dreams.

"Nimue, are you alright?" Sonic decided to finally ask. He'd hardly ever seen her like this, a feeling of concern growing as he followed her. Her eyes were clouded by unshed tears as he just walked up from the side to look over at her. He felt so sorry for whatever caused her sudden burst of negative emotion. Sonic wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back as reassuring as he could manage. He watched silently, hugging her tightly.

"I'm so sorry a-about this." Nimue cried, hugging back as she buried her face in his shoulder; muzzle tickled by the soft feeling of his blue fur.

"Hey it's alright, I'm here for you." He whispered. He wasn't used to comforting others much, but he did what he could. She tried to dry her tears but her hands were shaking too much. He led them to another couch, her small cries lowering in volume. When they sat, she kissed him on the cheek, a small 'thank you' being the only thing she said.

They sat in silence, Nimues breath leveled to a more manageable level. She had not meant to show so much emotion, especially towards the king. She was calming herself enough to finally talk.

"I'm sorry, it's just that... Lancelot's grown so quickly" she slowly breathed out. She was shivering slightly, her eyes getting misty. "My King, I'm an immortal soul, and I never wish to see him leave."

Sonic was at a loss of words. He knew he couldn't sympathize, he was a mortal, a very powerful mortal, but a mortal nonetheless. Shadow was probably the only one he could think of that could help her, but he was getting much-needed rest, so he stayed and hugged her more.


	6. Chapter 5

Shadow's head was foggy, an unknown daze overbearing in his head. What happened? One second he was angrily waiting for the blue fool to show up. The next he was waking up from one of the best naps he's ever had. Again. The fuck had happened? He tried to blink away the blur from his eyes. His gloves rubbing his eyes.

A second later he saw Lancelot doing the exact same thing.

He was confused. Who was Lancelot? He knew he was an alternate him. But who was he as a person? This was a different era after all. Was he laid back? Probably not. Was he like him? Was he like Sonic? Was he like-

"Are you going to stare at me all day or are you going to say something?" Lancelot asked.

Shadow looked away in slight embarrassment. His scowl prominent on his face.

Lancelot just gave a 'hmph' and looked away. An awkward silence growing over them like a blanket of water. How do you talk to yourself when you're a different person? So what's the first question he asked?

"How did you get so fast?"

Shadow looked at him, the question going through his head. Should he tell him everything? Probably not. A small abridged version should do.

"My skates are imbued with my energy, allowing me to... skate through the wind. My skates were created by my grandfather Gerald Robotnik" That should do.

Lancelot was intrigued. Were the skates forged with magic like his grieves? Was this Gerald a Mage? Or a powerful smith? His skates looked so smooth compared to his rough grieves. While he knew that this Shadow was him from another world, that didn't mean he wasn't a tad bit jealous of him.

"What sort of sorcery was used to make them?" he asked.

"Science"

Science? That strange magic that tells everyone the world revolves around the sun? How odd. How did it make his skates?

A question for another time.

"So how did _you_ get so fast?" Shadow asked. These were the Middle Ages after all.

"Powerful Chaos magic was imbued with wind into the soles" He lifted his foot to show the round seals on the bottom.

"Interesting" was Shadows answer.

* * *

 **Im Sorry if my updates are erratic and varying in length. I'm a busy teen and I don't usually have a lot of time to upload. Thanks to the.. like 3 people who saw my story.**


	7. Chapter 6

When Sonic and Nimue returned they found the two hedgehogs in a deep conversation about chaos energy. What the concept was, was completely lost on him. He wasn't stupid. Far from it. He remembered his time at Spagonia.

When they approached them, they quieted down, the conversation dying down.

"Enjoy your nap?" Sonic asked. Shadow simply glowered at Sonic as he stood.

"Why did you make me come back?" He asked. He was still annoyed when Sonic ordered him to the lake. They were stuck in this odd world, he was wary with his lack of knowledge, and _Sonic_ was the one with all the information on this planet. This was already cause for concern, as Sonic was probably the dumbest person that he knew of. He probably forgot why he sent him awa-

Sonic's eyes grew cold, flashing a shattered green in the light, a split second later warming back to their normal emerald green. He smiled at Shadow in a way that startled him. It wasn't the smile. But the gleam that was left in his eyes. As if he heard his thoughts being said.

Shadow shook his head. He must be imagining things. His anger came back.

"We need to stick together hedgehog." He insisted. "We are in an unknown world, with unknown threats, and no idea on how we got here." He was angry and Chaos dammit if he was stuck because of Sonic. He would lay it on him. And it would. NOT. BE. _PRETTY_.

"Don't worry Shads, I know where we are, what we could face here, and no answer for the last one." That stupid smile on Sonic's face was angering him, but he let it go. Rouge said he needed to take a deep breath every once in a while, especially when he was angry. _Especially_ when he was angry.

Lancelot and Nimue could only look on in confusion. Did this man have no respect for the king? He started to step forward, to defend the kings honor when Sonic gave him a sideways glance, stopping him in his tracks. Sonic just smiled and looked Shadow in the eye as he responded.

"Shads, listen. You gotta put a little trust in me." He sighed. His energy down to incredibly low levels. "I know I'm not the smartest bean in the bag but i know what could happen here."

"And what happens if you're wrong?"

"We wing it."

"Typical," Shadow scoffed as he stepped away from him. "I'm not _you_. And I never will be," Shadow spat out, then turned and walked away to get some space _away_ from Sonic.

Sonic just watched with widened eyes, the obvious feeling of being tongue-tied words as he couldn't even find anything else to say as he bit down on his tongue. What even was there to say? The one friend he knew outside of 'Camelot' was annoyed with him.

He would have gone after him, but he was low on energy and he hadn't eaten since yesterday. All he had to do was give the other two a look and they understood. He stood up and walked towards the mainland.

"While I would love to go after Shadow and shove some reason down his throat, I'm starving." With that, he quickly picked up his pace. "I'm gonna see if I can find me some lunch."

Lancelot and Nimue Looked between themselves. Silently debating if they should follow. A second later they started to walk after him. A small smile growing on Lancelot's face. They could go after Shadow later. He was someone he could consider a friend. Odd since they just met.

The small mist around the lake started to lift as the sun shined on the land. A good mood coming to the knight.


	8. Chapter 7

Shadow angrily stomped through the forest. His anger, once again. Through the fucking roof. He was annoyed at Sonic's lack of Structure. Here he was, in some odd world, with odd people who _just_ so happen to be their counterpart. He wasn't buying it. Something was up. He just wasn't sure wha-.

" _Get 'im lads!_ " Someone shouted.

Shadow quickly looked around, seeing hooded men surround him. Jumping from the shadows. In a split second decision. He teleported into the trees. Hiding him from the attackers. His form shrouded in darkness.

The bandits looked around in confusion. Confused as to where he went.

" _Find him"_ Someone yelled out. Shadow looked on. His heartbeat going back to a normal level. He was about to jump down silently and leave when he felt cold steel being held against his throat.

" _You don't wanna move friend"_ Someone whispered into his ear. He froze at the silent command. Who snuck up on him and how? His hearing was incredibly powerful. The only person who could sneak up on him was…. _A chameleon_

The stranger slowly moved Shadow to the rest of the bandits. His breathing falling on his ears. Shadow didn't attempt to run. He wanted to see if they would take him to their leader.

" _Tie him up, and take him to the camp, he's gonna make a good slave for the boss"_

Pfft. Stupid idiots, the only way to keep him contained is with a fifty-foot steel wall. And even then that's an enormous if.


	9. Chapter 8

The village near the castle was a beautiful sight to behold. The people of Camelot were milling about, enjoying the crisp European air. When one of the villagers spotted him.

" _The King is coming!"_

The people rushed to their shops and homes, leaving a space for him to pass through. When he approached the market area, cheers were heard, the people of the kingdom happy at his arrival.

" _Our Lord has returned!"_

" _All hail his majesty Sonic!"_

Sonic could only sheepishly rub his head in embarrassment. Sure he was a hero back home, but this was different. He was a king here, how do you react to that?

Nimue could only look on and giggle, the king was such a humble person in her opinion.

Lancelot simply hid behind them, he had his admirers and he wasn't in the mood for screeching.

Sonic did the best he could and just waved back, his face still dusted with a blush.

"I welcome you back to Camelot your Majesty." A familiar voice said.

"Smithy!" Sonic called out, not having seen the little fox. Another identical face right next to the fox. "Tails! You're here too?" He asked

Tails nodded, large bags under his eyes.

"Yep, been up for three days trying to find out where I am. Met Smithy here," he pointed to the other fox. "After I landed."

Sonic could only laugh as he hugged him, a relieved laugh escaping him. Then he paused.

"Wait. Does that mean that others are h-OOF"

"SONIKKU!" Another familiar voice called out. Sonic could only struggle. Not that he actually tried. Best let her tire herself.

* * *

Shadow had his hands bound by rope. These idiots honestly thought they could hold him with petty ropes? What a joke.

" _Move faster, the boss is going to like you."_ one of the bandits said. A Chameleon, he noticed. A katana was strapped onto his back. A weapon he could use later.

When they reached the camp, Shadow had to groan. Of course, there were more. But over eighty bandits? Screw that.

"Hello, there little hog." A raspy voice said. " _Eurgh."_ was all Shadow thought.

Right there in front of him was some kind of...Bird? Covered head to toe in fur. No.

 _Quills._

Shadows Anger came in full force. There were over fifteen different shades of color on this person's body, from green to aquamarine.

"My name, Is Edmond. And I'm a pelt collector of sorts, and may I say, What a….Unique pattern of fur you have there!"

Shadows breathing was getting heavier. When he heard it. Whimpers from the tent. _Children and Women_.

"Who's in the tent," Shadow growled out. If he was correct...

"Oh them? Just some slave's we're going to sell, and a little….Extra for the boys." A loud cheer came from the camp. But Shadow drowned them out. Using his superior strength, he tore off the bindings on his hands and attacked the bandits.

" _Get him before he escapes!"_ Edmond yelled out.

Escape? The fool. He was a G.U.N agent. They left when the fight is won and the innocents were gone.

 _Kick, Punch,_ _Palm Thrust_.

The bandit went in front of him went down. He threw a ball of light at two others. His ears caught the stomping of a larger bandit behind him. He quickly jumped up and kicked him. He quickly ran through the enemies. Til only Edmond remained.

" _W-wait, I'll give you whatever you want! Food, Women, Money! Anything you want! Just let me go!"_

Shadow grabbed him by the collar and said one thing.

" _Then perish."_

A wet shlick echoed through the forest. And Edmond dropped.

 **I have returned! Please leave a review as it makes me happy and warm! The next chapter will be out within the month!(hopefully).**


	10. Chapter 9

"Oh, Sonic it was horrible! I was enjoying my day when light brought me here and I was doing my quills and I had a shopping trip later and I…." At this point, Sonic had begun to zone out.

Amy was talking at a high speed and keeping up was a task and a half. This coming from the world's fastest blur.

Nimue looked on with a confused face. Who was this Pink Poser? Shadows were covering her face. Lancelot began to back up. There was little he feared, an angry mother was one of them.

"My lord?" Was quietly asked. Sonic froze. That didn't sound good. "Who is this?"

"U-uh t-this is my friend A-Amy! She's the you of my world" Sonic hastily replied.

Amy finally looked up and noticed herself. And saw a different person.

"I think we should keep going and not stay in the streets." Lancelot said.

Sonic took the comment for what it really meant and swiftly walked down the street. He didn't need the people to think anything wrong now.

"I agree, let's go Sonic!" Amy cheerfully said. The small party moved on, passing some of the pedestrians and vendors. The wind was cool in the quills of the gang.

The crunching of the autumn leaves brought Sonic a small satisfaction.

A few, tense moments later they reached a local pub, some music playing in the back. With a small creak the door swung open and they went in. The bar was in a less bustling time at the moment, so there weren't many people in there. Luckily this pub served food as well, so they didn't need to drink anything alcoholic.

"So my lord, can you explain why there is another me here?" Number asked sweetly. While she didn't have anything against Amy, -she was her after all.- she didn't like that a woman looking like the Lady of the Lake was hanging off the kings arm quite as… provocatively as she was.

"W-well ya see, there are many types of worlds, some are exactly like this one, except there is one more or less blade of grass, while some are completely different. Like this world is filled with Kings and knights, another could be filled with genies and sand. Make sense?"

At this Lancelot perked up. "Are you saying that in another...world? I could be a peasant? Or a king?" This could explain how Shadow had such sleek skates. He simply lived in a more advanced world than this one. This could mean that in another world he might not have his speed. A horrifying thought.

"Yeah! Just like that! And in my world Nimue is Amy, Lancelot is Shadow and a whole bunch more."

Nimue seemed semi-convinced, but it seemed that she needed some more convincing. Tails looked at Sonic and gave him his silent answer.

"What Sonic means is that your world is a mirror to ours, your reflection in another direction. You see Amy and Amy sees you." Sonic was happy tails gave a better response, it meant less stress on him.

Nimue seemed to be deep into her thoughts, trying to make sense of this, a moment later she let out a relieved sigh. This wasn't her, no matter how similar.

"I'm fine with that answer. But please Amy, try not to hang on to the king so tightly, I have a reputation after all."

Amy looked affronted for a second then gave a hesitant nod.

Miles looked on to his counterpart. Tails seemed so smart compared to him. He was a Smithy. Nothing more nothing less, sure he could read, write and do simple mathematics, but Tails could do that and so much more. The stories he was told about his creations blew him away. An apparatus that let him soar through the stars? How was he to compete with that?

Tails looked at the Smithy and immediately knew what was going through his head. "Hey, you ok?" He asked in a whisper. He knew what was happening. But he needed confirmation. When Miles just nodded, Tails backed off. He knew when he needed space.

"Sir, I would like two drinks please. For me and the King." The man jotted down order in his head and went off to get it.

As they were chatting, Miles stood up, ready to leave. "While I thank you for inviting me, I have a shop to run. Goodbye for now friends." He have a quick bow to the king and left.

As he left, the rest of the group stayed, and enjoyed the after noon, oblivion to anything happening.


	11. Chapter 10

His gloves were matted with blood and dirt, with the blade he took dripping with the red liquid. He didn't like taking lives. Not with anyone, no matter how bad. He knew that some people didn't deserve to live, especially monsters like Edmond.

He knew he had to get rid of the blood. Maybe a river or stream could help. As he sped down the road he noticed that he didn't know where he was going. He wasn't lost. He just didn't know his current location.

He took his gloves off, hiding them in his quills just in case someone found him and questioned the blood. He decided that the best thing to do was Chaos Control to Sonics energy. Problem was that it took a lot out of him. Better save his energy for now.

He quickly blasted down a path, hoping to find a town or village to ask for directions. Hopefully, he would be successful. Or maybe not.

* * *

"So Sonic," Amy said as she held to his arm. "Where are we?" The land was unfamiliar. There were no cars, no skyscrapers. Just, houses and forests, pollution nonexistent. She really needed to know.

"Oh yeah! I was meaning to ask about that!" Tails said. He was butt tired and he didn't feel like doing too much thinking. Sonic was chewing his food as slowly as possible, trying to avoid the questioning. Good thing he had a loyal knight to explain.

"You are in Camelot, the land of our lord and king," Lancelot said. He had finished long before Sonic did. Tails looked a little bit skeptical.

" _Really?_ Camelot? Like in the legend of King Arthur?" Let it be said that he was still capable of thought, even when sleep deprived.

"Unless our king isn't sitting right next to you, yes."

Tails gave him a skeptical look. He's dealt with some crazy bullshit. A water god, a time-traveling weirdo. But this? This sure topped the barrel. What's next? Aladdin?

"So you're telling me. That we were pulled from our world into the fictional world of Europe?"

"Yes. And _our world_ as you put it is not as fictional as you can see. It's as fictional as yours." Was Lancelot's quick rebuttal.

Nimue looked at them in concern. She didn't want these two to fight right now. She picked up her glass and took a sip. She wasn't the biggest supporter of alcohol, but she did have the occasional glass. Amy just looked at her counterpart. Wondering why she was giving Lancelot such an odd look. Did she like him? She had to admit that he _did_ look handsome without the scowl shadow always had.

Sonic squirmed in his seat, an uncomfortable look on his face. Why did his friends have to butt heads now? He was a king, so what? That didn't change him in any way.

Tails, with all of the maturity he could muster with his fourteen years of age, threw his hands up and gave it up. Sure, why not? He's dealt with weirder.

" _What is going on my lord?"_ A familiar voice said. The party then looked over towards Sonic, questions ready to fire.

"Sonic, who said that?" Amy asked. Sonic let out a sigh and pulled out Excalibur out of his sheath.

"Guys, meet Excalibur. Caliburn, meet the gang." The blade then floated from his spit and gave the newcomers a look over, holding himself over Amy and Tails.

" _I do say Sir knave, that these two look oddly similar."_ He got closer to the pinkette and gave her a scrutinous look. " _Very similar to our fair and regal lady and a curtain Smithy we've met."_

Sonic just palmed his face. Why were his friends so weird. At least Nimue was calm now.

"That's because they're from my world Caliburn, you just fell asleep during the explanation." His friends looked on in awe. Tails especially looked driven for something.

"Sonic you have a talking _sword!?_ That's so cool! How does it work? Does he need batteries? Is he a robot?" Let it be said that Tails was a nerd, first and foremost.

"Magic." Was Sonics response. Tails wasn't deterred, however, looking more excited if anything. He was about to ask more questions when Amy perked up.

"So when you told you came here you were…"

"Telling the truth, yeah. But don't worry, I barely believed it myself." Any seemed to look a little less guilty at that. When everyone with food had finished, they left the pub and went on their way, heading towards the castle walls.


	12. Chapter 11

Shadow was making a mental map of the area. Trying to see what this "Camelot" had to offer. So far all he could were trees, trees, and more trees as far as the eyes could see. There was a rabbit there, a fairy there, and shrouds of darkness from the shadows of the looming branches all over everywhere. He was concerned, and rightly so. He was in some unknown world, within an unknown country, with nothing to help guide him around.

There were dozens of things that could go wrong, as the bandit attack from earlier showed. Shadow didn't like that. He liked knowing what he was doing and understanding what was happening. Not being in the know was an annoyance and it got soldiers killed. All he could do for now was to keep going and to try and get as much knowledge of the surrounding areas he could.

In his hands was the katana he stole from earlier. Well, stole is the wrong word. But nevertheless of the origins, it was his now, and he didn't really feel like trashing it. It had a balanced weight and the blade reached the pommel. This was a sword made by a master smith and it wasn't going to break any time soon. And personally, he liked the simplicity of it. No over the top design and nothing to weigh it down.

The sun seemed to be setting off in the distance as dozens of golden beams of light shined over the orange tops of the clouds, giving off an almost tranquil scene. Shadow couldn't help but smirk a small bit. Call him sentimental but he personally loved to see the sunset. There was nothing like it. The heavens always had a different canvas on which to paint the most beautiful of artwork that no mobian could ever hope to achieve.

But for some reason, it felt a little empty. He felt like something was missing, but he didn't know what. The skies in Camelot were no less beautiful than the ones back in Mobius, but it didn't feel the same. That was when it hit him. He felt lonely. Back home he could always count on his teammates to be with him. Rouge with her sultry grin and preppy nature and Omega with his silent love for nature and an equal love of destruction. He was stuck in a land he didn't know with no way of contacting the rest of his….his what? His friends? His comrades?

His family. He had no way of reporting back to his family. It was a surprising realization, but it was one he didn't mind. Sure they weren't like other families. But they were a family nonetheless. He was just disappointed that he couldn't share the view with anyone.

"Hey mister." a voice called out from his side.

Shadow was so caught up in his own thoughts that he didn't notice that he had stopped right in front of a wooden cottage. When he turned around he saw a child wrapped head to toe in some kind of robes. He slightly tilted his head in confusion. Was she talking to him? If so why?

"What are you doing mister? Are you a knight? Like the ones up in the castle? Or are you a wandering warrior with no master like in the stories?" Honestly, the way the child was rapid firing questions made the hog blink in surprise. Did children really talk so quickly?

"I'm just a wandering stranger trying to find my way back to my world." He said. With the way the child's eyes widened up he had a feeling that she wasn't going to let him leave any time soon.

She jumped up in surprise and quickly ran over to a wooden fence that separated the two of them.

"What's your world like?" The girl asked. Shadow sighed. This was going to be an interesting evening.

 **Yo sorry for the late update. Hope this makes up for it.**


	13. Chapter 12

" _Shadow?" An innocent, soft voice spoke over the dark hedgehog's thoughts. Shadow glanced over, a sweet blonde smiling at him as she sat by the window of the ARK. He had stopped admiring the Earth from below, turning to face his old friend._

" _Yes, Maria?" The dark hedgehog replied._

" _Where would you like to go first, when we go there?"_

" _What do you mean?" Shadow said raising an eyebrow at the question. He stepped over a pile a crayons to sit beside her, staring back at the beautiful blue planet far away._

" _One day, I'll get better. And when we do, we could head back home. And I want to be sure you'll have fun when we check back on what's changed since I've left."_

" _Ah." Was his apt reply._

" _It's really nice down there. And I really want to show you everything," Maria continued to explain, a nonchalant smile with the tilt of her head. "Wouldn't it be absolutely grand?"_

 _There was a long pause between the two as Shadow clearly wouldn't answer the question; staring her down as though she were crazy. Concern stilled on the blonde's face, unsure if he were to answer either negatively or positively. Having noticed this, Shadow's crimson hues drifted away to stare down the Earth below. And with a long silence, he finally answered with a lie so transparent that it would clearly lead to a misunderstanding, as he knew she could never leave space with a longing condition he could never fix._

" _If that's the case, let us see the dandelions and make a wish."_

 _This answer caused the blonde to light up once again, tugging the unsuspecting hedgehog into a tight hug. She hadn't expected this type of answer to leave Shadow, but it was something she desperately needed to hear._

" _Shadow!" Maria's voice continued, echoing throughout his head. A simple blink had turned to flashing lights, leaving everything in red around him as unfamiliar rushing steps sounded down the hall of the ARK. Before he even came to his senses, he had found himself running. Tugging what he thinks was his old friend behind him to escape from the calls of soldiers demanding the two of them to stop, a few gunshots echoing through the halls._

 _Next thing he knew, right before what he knew was about to become a long-lasting blow to the mind… Maria had been shot from an angry commander annoyed by her attempt to escape. Fists slamming against the dull glass that canceled out his voice; he couldn't help but call out her name in anguish as she gave him a mission he could never truly complete. Something he couldn't make out, and complete for her. A mission for his first and only friend that had made his life happy and complete..._

"Oi Mister!"

 _Shadow cried out in anguish as he kept hitting against the glass, tears falling down his face as he saw drop after drop of blood hit the floor. The Blonde girl crawled the last few inches between her and the pod, gripping a handle as she looked into the pod holding the only thing she had left._

"Mister are you ok?"

 _Maria held up a blood covered hand on the dark plane of glass, a sad smile gracing her innocent face._

" _Please Shadow, protect them, protect the world that I love. Do this for me little one." With the last of her strength to pull the lever, she graced him with one last smile. To Shadow, it happened for far too long. He saw the commander prepare one last shot, aiming at the only family that he had left. As the lever began to fall, he screamed one last time, the pressure of the sudden launch making him slowly blackout. The last thing he saw before the darkness overtake him was the splattering of blood on the window._

"Oi Mister! You ok there? You seemed to have gone and flown with the sky mice and eaten the giant ball of goats cheese!" Shadow blinked at her, shaking his head to clear it of the bad memories. The little girl was left confused, as Shadow's eyes studied where his hands stopped shaking. Changing the subject, he glanced back over to the child and spoke up.

"What is your name?" He asked.

"My name's M-"

"Maria! Your grandfather's here!" A woman's voice called out, causing Shadow to jump in shock. Before he could even speak up, the young child's eyes lit up as she raced for the door to meet her grandfather. Stopping at the doorway, she turned with a smile and waved to him.

"You can call me Marie! Can you stay out here? I've gotta say hi to my grandpapa before you leave," The child asked, an offer Shadow couldn't quite refuse. Sitting down in the grass, he gave a somewhat awkward wave, giving the child a sign that he'd stay. With a happy nod, she walked inside and left the hedgehog sitting alone in the setting evening.

Shadow stayed under the protective shadows of the tree, contemplating his move. He still had little idea on what to do. The layout of the land was completely different from that of Mobius. There were bigger and more impressive forests, with most of the smaller trees being taller than some towering redwood oaks he's seen. The air was _far_ cleaner that it would ever be back at home.

The stars were completely different than his.

The sky wasn't as welcoming as his.

But he's willing to wait.

 **Hi! I have no excuse.**


End file.
